Ernie Els achieved his first senior major championship victory on Sunday, winning the Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Els shot a final-round 2-under-par 68, ending the tournament at 10-under 270, narrowly edging out South Korea's YE Yang, who carded a 66 on Sunday, by one stroke.
Despite a storied Hall of Fame career that includes two US Opens and two Open Championships, the former World No. 1 from South Africa had yet to win a senior major, though he had come close multiple times with 11 top-10 finishes in senior majors, including top-fives in each of the past four Kaulig Companies Championships. Reflecting on his victory, Els acknowledged the dominance of players like Steve Stricker and Bernhard Langer in recent years and expressed his continued passion for the game, focusing on staying healthy and improving.
The Kaulig Companies Championship, held at the storied Firestone Country Club, had previously hosted the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Els, who had been competing on this course for over three decades, remarked on the significance of finally securing a win at Firestone. He took control of the final round early, birdieing the 2nd, 5th, and 8th holes, and maintained his lead despite a bogey on the 10th hole and a critical par save on the 12th.
Els encountered trouble with a bogey on the par-5 16th after hitting into the water but managed to hold his lead as Yang bogeyed his final hole. Els finished with pars on the last two holes, including a perfect drive on the 18th, securing his victory.
His consistent performance throughout the season has made him the first three-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions this year. Yang finished with six birdies and two bogeys on Sunday, while Jerry Kelly took third place with a 69, and Stricker, after struggling on the back nine, tied for fourth with KJ Choi at 6-under.
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